Category: Despotism
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Despotism in the Ecclesiastical Institution
Father Lazarus Abboud The Intermediate Dictionary (Mu’jam al-Wasit) explains despotism (istibdad) linguistically: it is the verbal noun of the verb istabadda, and despotism is embodied in a person or a group: istabadda bihi means he monopolized it. Muhammad Abduh says: the despot does whatever he wishes without being accountable, ruling according to what his whims…
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Obedience and Disguised Servitude
Father Lazarus Abboud How do we understand obedience in the Church, how do we obey? Does the ecclesial institution resemble the military institution, so that the one of lower rank becomes subject to the one of higher rank? Is obedience a matter of command (receiving orders, wise leadership)? In that case, what is the difference…
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Metropolitan Hilarion and Questions Concerning Church Administration
Father Lazarus Abboud: The dismissal of Metropolitan Hilarion from the post of head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Russian Church was announced, and his removal from permanent membership in the Holy Synod, in the session of the Russian Synod held today, where the position of Patriarch Kirill, Patriarch of Russia, was…